Neighborhood Watch

Smitten Starts Scooping, Pasta Bene Shutters, and More

Hayes Valley: Smitten, the ice creamery that actually custom makes you your scoops of ice cream, to order, using a liquid nitrogen contraption, is now the first resident vendor to open at Proxy (432 Octavia). [Feast]
FiDi: Pasta Bene, which retains a newer location in Berkeley, has shuttered after 20 years on a little alley off Kearny. [Scoop]
Japantown: Bushi-Tei, as we mentioned, has a new chef, and tonight they’re unveiling a new sojo cocktail menu, an expanded wine-by-the-glass list, and a $5-7 small plates menu. [Tablehopper]

Rockridge/Oakland: Toast Wine Lounge (5900 College Avenue), with food by chef Peter Jackson, opened yesterday. Here’s the menu. [Scoop]
Piedmont/Oakland: Dopo is doing a special four-course menu Sunday, May 15 featuring foods from Campania, following a recent trip chef Jon Smulewitz took to visit winemaker Bruno De Conciliis. Call 510.652.3676 to reserve. [Grub Street]

Smitten Starts Scooping, Pasta Bene Shutters, and More